Entering the conference tournaments, the Big 5 was in danger of being shut out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1977. One week later, it sent three schools for the first time since 1999. The Big 5 ensured its 30-year streak would continue when Temple beat Saint Joseph's for the Atlantic 10 title, and a day later the Hawks and Villanova took two of the final at-large spots in the tournament.

Just when you thought it was safe to relax, a whole slew of standardized tests is lurking around the corner. For the grad school crowd, the Educational Testing Service comes back to infect you with a nasty bout of SAT redux: MCAT, LSAT and GMAT. And don't forget the queen them all, the Graduate Record Exam.

While Native Americans are a minority on Penn's campus, yesterday at Houston Hall they had a big voice. Six Directions, Penn's Native American interest organization, and Amnesty International co-presented a talk highlighting a movement to end violence against Native American women.

The University's review of hiring practices came closer to an end last week with the Faculty Senate's decision to not include a statement disclosing criminal background as a prerequisite for faculty employment. For now, it's unclear what direction the hiring-practices review will take following the Faculty Senate's decision.

The candidates are back for another round - on April 16, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will face off in Philadelphia during the 21st Democratic debate. The debate - hosted by ABC - will be held at the National Constitution Center in downtown Philadelphia.

The political circus is finally here. For the next four weeks, Pennsylvanians will find out what it's like to be at the center of the political universe as candidates prepare for the state's April 22 primary. During the week before spring break, Chelsea Clinton campaigned on campus at Wynn Commons for her mother, New York Sen.

Softball head coach Leslie King can now check another accomplishment off the ol' to-do list. Last year's record-breaking season - the team's first winning campaign since 1984 - could not satiate the squad's newfound competitive streak. After the Quakers' unprecedented 8-2 run over this year's spring break, King's players feel they're on their way to having their best season ever.

When the Penn baseball team embarked on its spring break trip to Boca Raton, Fla., it had just a single game under its belt. So, with the Quakers still making adjustments to new roles and new faces, their seven-game slate probably felt more like spring training than a crucial chunk of the regular season.

It's the biggest concert of the biggest party of the year at Penn - and Ludacris and Gym Class Heroes will headline it. The Social Planning and Events Committee announced yesterday that the rapper and indie hip-hop band will take the stage at this year's Spring Fling concert at 8 p.

Your vote (finally) counts - at least if you're a Democrat. By a strange twist of fate, Pennsylvania's voice will matter in the presidential primaries. For residents of the Keystone state, including many Penn students, that means a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in deciding on candidates for president.

AlliedBarton provides opportunities To the Editor: As the ranking official assigned by AlliedBarton Security Services to Penn, I would like to respond to the guest column offered in The Daily Pennsylvanian on Feb. 20. I began at AlliedBarton in 1993 as an officer.

International students coming to the U.S. not only have to adjust to a new cultural, social and educational environment, but also to a more Americanized writing style. In an attempt to ease this transition, the Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing started the Global English course last semester.

In each of the past three seasons, Penn has headed into the final weekend of the regular season with NCAA Tournament seeding on its mind. This year, all that's left is pride. Senior captain Brian Grandieri and Joe Gill have three Ivy League titles under their belts; classmate Mike Kach - who didn't play in his sophomore year - has two.

An unknown driver assaulted a Penn Police officer with his vehicle Wednesday afternoon, Division of Public Safety officials said. While directing traffic on the 3100 block of South Street, the Penn Police officer observed a vehicle accelerating around the corner at a high rate of speed.

With talk of ethanol and agricultural subsidies galore, this year's elections have been more than just a little bit country. But somewhere between our amber waves of grain and our purple mountains' majesty, America lost sight of one of its greatest competitive advantages in the future global economy - its cities.

This weekend, Penn's track teams will embark on the ultimate alternate spring break, as they head north to compete in Boston. The women will compete in the ECAC Championships, while the men will race in the IC4A Championships. Penn Women's track coach Gwen Harris says there are two goals that every track team aspires to achieve at every big meet.

One of Penn's most popular student organizations may be in jeopardy following the School District of Philadelphia's proposed implementation of stricter volunteer policies. The West Philadelphia Tutoring Project partners with local schools to provide one-on-one tutoring and mentoring opportunities with over 300 Penn students.